This section creates the Joint Legislative Prison Oversight Committee and gives it oversight and reporting duties about corrections.
(a) A permanent legislative committee, to be known as the Joint Legislative Prison Oversight Committee, which shall be composed of eight members, two of whom shall be ex officio members and six of whom shall be appointed members, three each to be appointed by the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House, who shall both serve as the ex officio members, shall be formed to examine all aspects of the operations of the Department of Corrections. The chair of the committee shall be selected by and from among the membership. (b) The committee shall examine Alabama’s present and long-term correctional needs . Upon request of the chair or by a majority vote of the members, the committee shall report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature . (c) The committee shall study and address mental health issues for inmates reentering the community after a term of imprisonment in order to streamline the sharing of critical mental health information and in order to address barriers to accessing mental health treatment for inmates . Upon request of the chair or by a majority vote of the members, the committee shall report its findings to the Legislature and shall work in conjunction with all of the following in studying and addressing the issues: (1) Department of Corrections. (2) Board of Pardons and Paroles. (3) Department of Mental Health. (4) Administrative Office of Courts. (5) Office of Prosecution Services. (6) Office of the Attorney General. (7) Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency. (8) Association of County Commissions of Alabama. (9) Alabama Probate Judges Association. (10) Alabama Sheriffs Association. (11) Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. (12) Alabama Circuit Judges’ Association. (13) Department of Public Health. (14) Office of the Governor. (15) Alabama District Attorneys Association. (16) Alabama Drug Abuse Task Force. (17) Alabama Department of Senior Services. (18) Any other advocacy groups as determined by the committee. (d) The committee shall study and address issues related to felony restitution collection in order to improve rates of collection for restitution obligations in felony cases and establish best practices relating to a defendant’s ability to pay obligations owed. Upon request of the chair or by a majority vote of the members, the committee shall report its findings to the Legislature and shall work in conjunction with all of the following in studying and addressing the issues: (1) Department of Corrections. (2) Board of Pardons and Paroles. (3) Administrative Office of Courts. (4) Office of Prosecution Services. (5) Office of the Attorney General. (6) Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency. (7) Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. (8) Alabama Circuit Judges’ Association. (9) Association of County Commissions of Alabama. (10) Alabama Sheriffs Association. (11) Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission. (12) The Alabama Circuit Clerk’s Association. (13) Two crime victims’ rights advocates designated by the Attorney General. (14) Two members from the Alabama District Attorneys Association, of which one shall be from a largely populated metropolitan judicial circuit and the other shall be from a small, rurally populated judicial circuit. (15) Any other advocacy groups as determined by the committee. (e) The committee shall study and address capacity issues within the Department of Corrections to include, but not be limited to, the issue of design capacity and operational or functional capacity, as well as the construction of new correctional facilities and the renovation of current correctional facilities as they relate to overcrowding and public safety. Upon request of the chair or by a majority vote of the members, the committee shall report its findings to the Legislature and shall work in conjunction with the following in studying and addressing the issues: (1) Department of Corrections. (2) Board of Pardons and Paroles. (3) Department of Mental Health. (4) Department of Public Health. (5) Administrative Office of Courts. (6) Office of Prosecution Services. (7) Office of the Attorney General. (8) Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency. (9) Alabama Drug Abuse Task Force. (10) Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. (11) Alabama Circuit Judges’ Association. (12) Association of County Commissions of Alabama. (13) Two members from the Alabama Sheriffs Association, of which one shall be from a largely populated metropolitan judicial circuit and the other shall be from a small, rurally populated judicial circuit. (14) Two members from the Alabama District Attorneys Association, of which one shall be from a largely populated metropolitan judicial circuit and the other shall be from a small, rurally populated judicial circuit. (f) The committee shall study and address issues related to services provided by the Department of Corrections to constituents and the families of inmates. Upon request of the chair, or by a majority vote of the members, the committee may report its findings to the Legislature and may work in conjunction with all of the following in studying and addressing the issues: (1) Department of Corrections. (2) Board of Pardons and Paroles. (3) Department of Mental Health. (4) Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. (g) By September 1, 2024, the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts, in consultation with the committee, shall employ an individual, who shall be an exempt employee under Section 36-26-10, to assist in the operations of the committee. (h) The studies and collaborating partners provided for in this section shall reflect the racial, gender, geographic, urban , rural, and economic diversity of the state.